Sanamahism or Meiteism or Lainingthouism, is an ethnic religion of the Meitei people of Manipur, Northeast India. It is a polytheistic religion and is named after God Lainingthou Sanamahi, one of the most important deities of the Meitei faith. Sanamahi is the eldest son of the supreme god Yaibirel Sidaba and the supreme goddess Leimarel Sidabi. Traditionally every Meitei household, irrespective of the religion, worships Sanamahi and Leimarel Sidabi. The importance of Sanamahi in the religion is also emphasized in the name itself which means Liquid Gold. Sanamahism does not have a religious head but has a body, Maru Loishang that oversees the main religious activities and govern all affairs pertaining to the religion including conducts of priest and priestess. The Maru Loishang also acts a court for religious disputes. There are three main departments under the Pandit Loishang, namely, the Amaiba Loishang, the Pena Asheiba Loishang and the Amaibi Loishang. These departments have existed since the reign of King Meidingu Hongnemyoi Khunjao Naothingkhong of Manipur in 662 AD.
The history of Manipur is reflected by archaeological research, mythology and written history.
Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled Cheithalon Kumpapa, is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, as "the former copy was no more available". It is the main source for the list of pre-modern kings of Manipur, tracing the genealogy of the ruling Ningthouja dynasty back to a ruler named Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, said to have ruled for more than a century, from 33–154 CE. It is to the Meiteis what the Buranji is to the Assamese and the Yazawin to the Burmese.
Pakhangba is a primordial deity, often represented in the serpentine dragon forms, in Meitei mythology and religion. He is present in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, originated from "Paphal" (ꯄꯥꯐꯜ), the mythical illustrations of the deity belonging to the traditional beliefs of Sanamahism in Manipur. Among the Meiteis, it is believed that the ancestor of one of the clans manifested himself as the Pakhangba.
Luwang is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people. Luwang consists of several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, one of the States of India.
Laininthou Sanamahee is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak (Manipur). He is regarded as the most popular and significant divinity of Sanamahism. He is the brother of Pakhangba and Nongshaba. He is the eldest son of Creator God Saalailel Sitapa and Leimalel Sitapee, the protector of the Universe in Meetei mythology and philosophy and Mother Earth goddess Leimarel Sidabi.
Leimarel Sidabi or Leimalel Sitapi is a goddess in Meitei mythology and the religion of Ancient Kangleipak. She is the highest female divinity in the Meitei pantheon. She is the goddess of earth, of nature and the household. She is revered as the mother of every living being in the universe.
Nongshaba, also spelled as Nongsaba, is a Lion God in Meitei religion (Sanamahism) and mythology. He is also regarded as a king of the gods. He is credited with producing light in the primordial universe and is regarded as the maker of the sun. He is worshipped by the people of both the Ningthouja clans as well as the Moirang clans. God Nongshaba was worshipped by the people of Moirang clan as a lineage deity and regarded as the father of God Thangching (Thangjing). He is the greatest of the Umang Lais in Ancient Kangleipak but he made his only son Thangching (Thangjing) the chief deity of Moirang.
Manipura is a kingdom mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It was located near a sea-shore, the Mahendra Mountains and the Kalinga. In the epic, Arjuna—one of the five Pandava brothers—visited Manipura and married Chitrangada, the princess of the kingdom. They had a son named Babruvahana who later ruled it. Some versions of the Mahabharata mention it as Manalura.
Miss Meetei Chanu or Miss Meitei Chanu is an annual beauty pageant that is run by the Manipur based Lainingthou Sanamahi Sana Pung (LSSP). The event aims to make Meitei women understand the culture and tradition of Sanamahism. It is one of the most watched beauty pageants in North East India. It co-exists with Miss Manipur, Femina Miss India Manipur and Miss Kangleipak.
The dragons play a significant role in the legendary accounts of Meitei folklore, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Ancient Kangleipak, Medieval Kangleipak and Modern Kangleipak.
Korouhanba is the God of the Sun, the Sky and the Heaven in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is also known as Taohuireng and is one of the two sun brothers in the Numit Kappa epic legend. For having the ability to remove darkness, he is also called "Ngantureng". He is described as "Songbu Chiraitangba", a physician who is bald headed.
Khamlangba, also spelt as Khamlangpa, is a deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is the God of iron, mining, metallurgy, steel manufacturing, hunting and war. His occupation is the extraction of the iron ores and the manufacture of steel. The Khamlangba Thenlon text mentions about his skills of iron metallurgy and blacksmith in ancient Kakching kingdom.
And That Is Why... Manipuri Myths Retold is a book by L. Somi Roy. It is a children's book based on 12 stories from the Meitei mythology of the Meitei ethnicity of Manipur. The book is published by the Penguin Random House India under the Puffin Imprint. It was released by MP of Rajya Sabha and titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba at the Palace Compund, Imphal on the 21st June 2021. The stories are actually a collection of translated works from the original myths from the PuYas of ancient Manipur, rarely retold by people in the modern times.
Miss Kangleipak is an annual female bodybuilding competition of Kangleipak (Manipur). It co-exists with Miss Manipur, Femina Miss India Manipur and Meetei Chanu. Founded in the year 2012 by the "Manipur Amateur Body Builders Association" (MABBA), Miss Kangleipak is sponsored by the "Janaki Bar Bell Club" (JBC), Singjamei and "Lamyanba Meitei Gym", Sagolband Moirang Hanuba Leirak.
Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, was the first Meitei monarch of the Ningthouja dynasty, who ascended the throne of the Kangla of Kangleipak in 33 AD, after the withdrawal of the mainstream powers of the Khabas. Before the reign of king Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, the clans, or salais were already in existence.
The Manung Kangjeibung (Meitei for 'Inner Pologround') is an old polo field located to the south west of the citadel inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Manipur. In ancient times, only royalties and nobilities were allowed to play the game of polo in this royal playground. It is one of the two most ancient pologrounds in the world, the another one being the Mapal Kangjeibung .
There are three notable museums inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak, which are the Kangla Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Memento Museum. Some people also count the Hijagang as a museum.
The Sanggai Yumpham was a fortified royal residence (citadel) of the Meitei royalties inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal. It is presently preserved as an archaeological site as well as one of the tourist attractions in the Kangla.
In Meitei mythology and folklore, the epic cycles of incarnations refer to the epic for the seven cycles of the seven incarnations of the two divine lovers in the erstwhile kingdom of Moirang in the realm of Ancient Kangleipak.
